Unemployment claimants to April 2021

Unemployment claimant count data (released 18 May 2021 by the Department of Work and Pensions) shows that the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits in Oxfordshire decreased slightly between March and April 2021, from 17,400 to 17,120 (-2%).

By district in April 2021, the rate of unemployment claimants (as a percentage of the economically active population aged 16-64) was highest in Oxford City followed by Cherwell. By age group, the rate was highest in Oxfordshire (and England) for claimants aged 16-24.

Change in unemployment claimants April-20 to April-21

April-20 April-21 April-20 to April-21
count rate* count rate* ppt change
Cherwell 2,845 3.7% 4,000 5.2% 1.51
Oxford 3,265 4.6% 5,005 7.1% 2.47
South Oxfordshire 2,245 3.2% 2,920 4.1% 0.96
Vale of White Horse 1,945 2.8% 2,775 4.1% 1.21
West Oxfordshire 1,935 3.4% 2,415 4.3% 0.86
Oxfordshire 12,240 3.6% 17,120 5.0% 1.43
England 1,768,540 6.5% 2,271,355 8.4% 1.86

Unemployment claimants by age group April-21

16-24 25-49 50+
count rate* count rate* count rate*
Cherwell 800 8.7% 2,320 5.3% 880 3.8%
Oxford 875 6.9% 2,985 7.4% 1,150 7.2%
South Oxfordshire 510 6.0% 1,615 4.2% 800 3.5%
Vale of White Horse 485 5.7% 1,585 4.1% 705 3.4%
West Oxfordshire 480 6.9% 1,345 6.1% 590 3.3%
Oxfordshire 3,150 6.8% 9,845 5.1% 4,120 4.1%
England 428,855 11.5% 1,300,550 8.2% 541,870 7.3%

*per the economically active population (calculated as the ONS mid-2019 population estimate - aged 16-64 for the top table - multiplied by the proportion of the population that are economically active, as recorded by the 2011 Census); ppt=percentage point

Note that this does not include people on the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme, which is now due to finish at the end of September 2021.  As of 28 February 2021, there were 49,100 furloughed employments in Oxfordshire, a take-up of 15% compared with 16% take-up across England.

Explore the latest unemployment data for Oxfordshire using our interactive dashboard.

Data downloaded from www.nomisweb.co.uk (18 May 2021); Furlough data from HMRC

Author: 
alick.bird
Location: